Standard Garage Door Sizes

Garage Door Sizes

Garage doors can be custom ordered in almost any size, although a few standard garage door sizes are considered stock. Overhead door sizes have been gradually increasing to matched the increased size of vehicles. Garage doors are now sized to accommodate work trucks, boats and campers. Overhead doors are made up of different size pieces called sections. Various sections are combined to fit specific heights and widths of openings. Here are some things to remember when constructing your door openings.

Stock Door Sizes

Most garage door companies keep an inventory of stock overhead doors. Since they can’t afford to stock every possible size or model of door , they pick a select few common doors. Standard garage door sizes are 16′ wide by 7′ tall and 9′ wide by 7′ tall.  As mentioned above, door sizes have been increasing to match the increase in vehicle size. Door sizes of 18′ wide by 8′ tall and 10′ wide by 8′ tall are increasingly common. The popularity of pole barns in recent years has also caused taller doors of 9′,10′ and 12′ to be common. Here are the major reasons to build standard garage door openings:

  • In Stock – No Waiting
  • No Extra Special Order Upcharge
  • Better Resale Value

Sectional Garage Door Sizes

Garage door panels come in three different sizes, 18″ , 21″ and 24″. Manufactures have determined over the years that these section sizes accommodate the most common height doors with the least amount of panels possible . The are also small enough to turn around the track radius efficiently, leaving adequate headroom spacing. Sections can be arranged in a manner that accommodates almost any door height. A door height of 7’3″ (87″)is not available, because no combination of 18″,21″ and 24″ sections can equal 87″. Here are some examples of common residential door sizes and layouts:

  • 7′ Tall Doors (4) 21″ Sections
  • 8′ Tall Doors (2) 21″, (3) 18″ or (4) 24″ Sections
  • 9′ Tall Doors (6) 18″ Sections

Overhead Door Size Limitations

Garage doors are usually available in 1″ increment widths depending on the style or model of door. Overlay and carriage house doors may have higher restrictions due to the overlay designs on the face of the doors being engineered. Heights are restricted to 3″ increments since doors are made up of 18″,21″ and 24″ sections. Although custom door heights are available they are generally considered special order. This means that they are priced higher and you will have to wait longer for arrival. Standard size doors are lower in price and usually in stock.

What Size Should My Rough Opening Be?

One of the most common questions about framing is, “What size should I frame my opening to?” Garage door openings should be framed to the exact same size as the door you have purchased. In other words, a 16×7 door should also have a 16×7 opening. Any imperfections in the frame work will be covered up by your jamb weatherstripping and bottom seal. If you want to be a perfectionist you could make a case for cheating the opening down up to 1″ on each side. Build your opening 15′ 10″ x 7′ or just order your garage door 16′ 2″ x 7′. This would allow up to a full inch on each size to “lay” up against the door for a better seal. The height of your rough opening should always match your door size. The bottom seal on your garage door will naturally raise the door an extra 1/2″ off the floor.